The trumpet is the soprano instrument of the brass family, and as such is often used to perform higher passages, as well as passages that demonstrate its entire range. The instrument’s comfortable range extends to the concert Bb above the staff, but skilled players can extend that range to the next F, or higher. As the most flexible voice in the brass family, the trumpet is equally effective at both loud and soft dynamic levels. Its sound is extremely loud and powerful, and the instrument itself is very agile, capable of playing very fast passages. All types of attack and articulation are possible, with great definition. In addition, some interesting colors can be produced with various types of mutes. Trills are executed by manipulating the valves, except in higher registers, where trills can be played by moving the lips. Try to avoid trills that involve two valves, which are awkward to play. Writing three or more trumpets together in unison provides a very powerful sound. Also powerful is splitting the section to write in parallel octaves; this provides a bit more body to the line. When you write multiple trumpets in unison, playing in their lower register with cup mutes, you get a sound similar to that of a French-horn section. This is a nice sound for accompaniment in ballads and softer passages.

French Horn

The French horn is a distinguished member of the orchestra, and of most concert and marching bands. It produces a naturally cool sound, good for long, sustained passages. Note, however, that it’s an instrument that requires talented performers; put simply, the French horn is a difficult instrument to play well. And as it’s a relatively slow-speaking instrument, the French horn is not well suited for fast passages. When writing for French horn, know that it can serve as the bridge between sections, as it is louder than most woodwinds but softer than other brass instruments. It’s also good in combination with other brass instruments; one particularly pleasing instrument combination is that of French horns and trombones, especially on sustained passages. The French horn is also useful as a doubling instrument. The horn can double just about any line in unison, both loud and soft; it can easily double trombone, woodwind, and string passages. The result injects a particular color to the overall sound. One interesting special effect is achieved by the player putting his hand into the bell of the horn. This is called a stop, and is indicated by + sign above the note. (This is the same notation as used for muted notes.) The effect is somewhat dramatic, both strained and muffled. The term cuivré (brassy) is notated when the composer wants a harsher and brassier sound. The attacks of such notes are very short, causing the metal of the instrument to vibrate. These tones are forced, have a metallic quality, and are completely different from the beautiful tones produced for lyrical melodies. Another type of horn performance is SchalltricbterulIor “bells up.” This notation asks that the passage be played with the bell upward so that the opening faces the audience. It is effective in very loud passages.

Before the horn had valves, it was impossible to change the fundamental. The pitch could only be changed by the player tightening his lips, thereby altering the flow of air through the instrument. The selection of pitches was limited to the harmonic series. (In fact, the players had to use different horns for pieces in different keys.) Even after valve horns became available. many composers continued to write in this limited style with a limited number of notes. Certain combinations of notes or motifs were used routinely. One such motif was the horn call. This motif, as noted below, is situated in the middle and most commonly used range of the horn. The mood of the passage is typically pastoral and introspective. When played in a moderately quiet passage, the horn call motif is wonderfully emotional and brings great warmth to the music. The use of the horn call will give your writing an idiomatic feel for the horn. The line below is the traditional passage, sing it and variations of it in your compositions is a good way to provide warmth, idiomatic writing and a very pastoral feel.

Another accompaniment that works well in up-tempo compositions is the use of repeated chords. Berlioz, Stravinsky many others have often used this style of writing. The accompaniment is wonderful for perpetuating the orchestra along without the need for percussion. An example is given below.

Trombone

The trombone is a solid and versatile member of the brass family, found in both orchestral and band settings. Surprisingly lyrical in the upper registers, it can also play “bleating” bass notes in the lower octaves. It serves as the backbone of the brass section, and blends well with French horns, saxophones, and other woodwinds. Unlike other brass instruments, the trombone doesn’t have any valves; instead, notes are produced by moving the slide to different positions. When writing for the trombone, it’s important to learn these slide positions, to avoid difficult notes and transitions. There are seven positions of the trombone’s slide; each position changes the pitch one half step from the previous position. The seventh, or furthest-out position, is obviously the most difficult to play. You need to avoid rapid note combinations that shift from the seventh to the first (full-in) position, as it’s almost impossible to quickly make that change. Additionally, seventh-position notes are difficult to sustain and control. In particular, avoid the low E and the B a fifth above that, both of which are difficult seventh-position notes. Trombones can provide a surprisingly pretty accompaniment to a vocal or instrumental solo. You can even use close voicings in the upper part of the trombone’s range, which can be quite effective. Use a more open voicing to create a rich, organ-type backing. For big, fat special effects, write to one of the trombone’s four pedal tones. A pedal tone is the fundamental of a slide position, and they’re seldom used in orchestral music. These aren’t soft notes; to be effective, the player must really belt them out. In a brass choir situation, the bass trombone can double the tuba (playing the bass line), play the bass line if no tuba part is written or play the tenor line, leaving the tuba to play the bass line by itself. Accompaniment figures are often voicings in a brass choir accompaniment, where they play the tenor and bass parts. These lines can be chordal or rhythmic.

Tuba

The tuba is the bass voice of the brass family. It’s a surprisingly versatile instrument, not just for the lowest of the low notes. For example, the tuba can be used as a solo voice in the upper registers, where it can be quite agile with a smooth tone. The tuba is more typically used as an ensemble instrument. It blends well with other low-register instruments, such as cellos, double basses, bassoons, and other low woodwinds. It’s also common to write the tuba in octaves with trombones, or as a bass voice in a French-horn ensemble. To create a very thick texture, write multiple tubas in octaves.

Concert and orchestral brass instruments run the gamut from concert pitch to various nonconcert transpositions. There’s no general rule to apply; you have to learn each instrument separately.

Common Techniques

If we assign traditional choral designations to the instruments, the trumpets can be seen as equivalent to the sopranos, French horns to the altos, trombones to the tenors and tuba to the basses. As such, we would expect them to be laid out on the written score accordingly.
Smaller brass instruments, such as the trumpet, are quite nimble. Larger instruments, such as the tuba, are less so. It has to do with the amount of air required to sound a tone; the larger the instrument, the more air necessary, and the less resulting facility and speed. Across the brass family, know that long tones tend to sound louder than short tones. Higher tones, of course, are the most prominent. Trumpets and trombones are the loudest members of this family, nearly equal in power, while French horn, tuba, and other brass instruments are considerably less powerful. Brass instruments are capable of the same special effects found on other instruments, although a few effects are particularly used in the brass section. These include the shake, fall, glissando (or slide) up and down, growl, and upward “doit” (gliss upward after hitting a note, to a nonspecific pitch):

The sound of most brass instruments can be altered in interesting ways by inserting different types of mutes in the instruments’ bells. The following are the three primary types of mutes.

– Cup mute. This mute, which looks like a small cup or hat, is the softest of the mutes. It produces a soft and mellow sound, and helps any brass instrument blend better with other instruments, especially woodwinds.
– Straight mute. This is a longish mute that creates a piercing or biting sound.
– Harmon mute. This specialty mute produces a kind of thin, hollow, slightly chilling effect that, while distant-sounding, pierces through the other instruments. It is built with a nozzle that can be pulled in or out as desired.

In addition, trumpets and trombones can use both rubber plungers and plastic cups to further alter their sound. You indicate the use of a mute by a + sign above the note; an open (nonmuted) sound in a muted passage is noted with a circle above the note. Brass mutes work best when the instrument is played in a medium or high register. You should allow a few bars before and after the use of a mute, to give the players enough time to insert or remove the mutes from their instruments. Finally, their articulations are the same as the woodwind instruments.

When you are first beginning to orchestrate for winds, it is easier to practice scoring isolated chords, using pairs of instruments instead of instruments in threes. Even though large orchestral scores use instruments in threes, a large portion of the orchestral literature, including film and game music, uses winds in pairs. Chords in the winds may be scored using any of the four different voicings. Here are some examples.

When using winds in threes, the same principles and techniques are used. Because it is possible to produce full three-note chords with like instruments, you can achieve excellent blending.

Blending The Instruments And Chord Spacing

Is fairly easy to achieve a good blend when using the winds if certain rules are followed. The novice orchestrator can easily use juxtaposition voicing to assemble woodwind chords by stacking the instruments together using these two rules:

– Assemble the chords using the instruments in order of their range from lowest to highest.

– Keep the range consistent in each of the instruments. This means that you should assign a note for each instrument that is in the same basic part of the range for each instrument. This will yield the best chances for success since each note will be placed where the tone (dark, medium or bright) and dynamics (soft, medium or loud) will have the best chance of being consistent among the instruments.

Obviously a flute is not going to sound like an oboe. But if the flute is playing in a range that is very bright, you should put the oboe in the brightest pan of its range as well. These rules are only basic starting points. The orchestral literature is filled with examples that violate these rules. After becoming comfortable with this approach, try expanding your chordal arrangements to veer away from these concepts.

Experiment with order in chordal treatments to enhance your palate of colors. Now that you understand what order to put thee notes into, lets look at where to place the notes. The placement of notes in the woodwind section follows the overtone series concept, meaning the open spacing works better in the lower registers and closed spacing works better in the upper registers. In order to balance the winds, the flutes are usually placed in the upper third of their range when playing at a dynamic of mf or louder. Consequently, when the flutes are used in this capacity, the chord will sound bright. In contrast, when you are in need of a darker sound, it is best to avoid using the flutes in the upper range. Instead, position the flutes in their lowest range (this will only work for a dynamic of mp or quieter). Or you can leave out the flutes entirely and use only the oboes, clarinets and bassoons.

If you are attempting to score a chord that will be as smooth, round and balanced as possible, it is probably best to avoid using the oboe and bassoon. The flutes, clarinets and bass clarinet can be used to achieve this sound.

The double reeds (oboe and bassoon) present the most blending problems. What this means to your arrangement is that you must strive to balance the sound by using these instruments appropriately. For most dynamics above mp, it is a good solution to set both of these instruments in the middle of their range for better control and balance. This tends to be the range that provides the most uniform sound as well as the area where the player can control their dynamics the best. When mixing your winds, when in doubt about balance, it is best to err on the side of too little oboe or bassoon.

Because of the variety of reed and non-reed instruments that are in the woodwind section, you can create a variety of timbres by arranging the instruments in a different order from top to bottom, such as placing the bassoons above the clarinets or the oboes above the flutes. Because of the great number of possibilities, it is impossible to describe the different timbres that result. However, some generalities are possible.

– Positioning a lower-ranged above a higher-ranged instrument will make the lower-ranged instrument more dominant.

– A double-reed instrument placed above a single-reed or non-reed instrument will make it even more dominant.

– Placing the clarinets above the flutes while leaving out the oboes tends to result in a thicker, less transparent timbre.

– Placing the clarinets above the oboes while leaving out the flutes tends to result in a heavier timbre with emphasis on odd (non-even) overtones.

Handling Melodies And Solos

The winds are wonderful choices for melodies and solos, while each of them has a unique timbre; their vocal quality gives them a human quality that is warm and sweet. This is perhaps why solos in any of the winds have such immediate appeal to us. They are easy to use in this capacity as long as you follow a few basic concepts.

First, make sure that you place the melody in a range that is appropriate in terms of dynamics and tone. Second, you should orchestrate your accompaniment so that it does not overwhelm your melody and so that it allows the melody to be heard within the context of the dynamic intended (i.e., such that the soloist does not have to overplay to be heard). Third, avoid using the same instrument for accompaniment. Choose your solo instruments wisely. Make sure their tone is correct for the emotion you are striving for.

The majority of solo wind lines are scored with string accompaniment. In order for your solo to be heard, keep your string lines simple and not as rhythmically complex as the part written for the solo instrument. The strings should generally be one dynamic softer than that of the solo wind.

Melodies work best when the same instrument plays the entire line. Again, there are many exceptions to this; however, it will provide the most cohesion to the melody.

In most situations, it is best to allow a Single wind instrument to playa melody as opposed to doubling with two instruments. As described above, the solo instrument will show more of the pure timbre of the instrument. In addition, the doubled line can sound heavier and have less emotion. When doubling a melody using the same instrument, the sound is not necessarily twice as loud. However, the tone is often somewhat thicker.

When doubling with two different instruments, the composite timbre will be dependent on the range and dynamic of the line within the instruments’ ranges. Generally, there is little reason to double solos in well exposed passages. Instead, doubling winds is usually reserved for tutti sections. Often, doubled winds also double the melody being played in the strings and/or brass.

All things being equal, when doubled at the unison in non-tutti passages and when put in a range so that both instruments can play comfortably,

– the clarinet will dominate the flute but not the oboe

– the clarinet will lend an openness to the composite sound while the flute will add a lighter breathiness.

– the oboe will dominate the flute and the clarinet except in the highest range, where the flute will be more pronounced.

– the bassoon will dominate the Clarinet.

When you are in need of more volume for a melody, instead of doubling the line at the unison, try doubling at the octave. This will accomplish several things:

– It will reinforce the line without making it muddy, since it will highlight the overtones of the higher melody.

– In terms of character or sound, you can often achieve more similarity between two instruments spaced further apart. For instance, unison doubling the flute line shown below with a clarinet or oboe would place it in a range that is too high to be effective. By placing the doubling instrument an octave lower, you can keep the lines in a very effective range for both instruments.

– The timbres of both instruments will still be heard as solo instruments instead of as a composite sound.

Here are several other concepts:

– The oboe will add an edge to any solo instrument including solo strings or the violin section. The oboe adds more detail to articulations, especially against the flute, clarinet or strings.

– When the line is too low for the oboe, try putting it in the English horn.

– Of all the winds, the clarinet is the most consistent in tone throughout its range. Consequently, it is a great instrument for melodies with a vast, expansive range.

– The oboe and flute are common doublers, especially in music of the 18 ^th and 19^th centuries. Remember that the two will work best in the octave from about G4 to G5. The oboe is loud and thick below this, while the flute gets progressively louder and brighter (and the oboe gets thinner) in the range above this.

– Flutes can sound very sexy and sultry in their lowest range. To take advantage of this sound, keep the entire orchestral accompaniment light, utilizing strings that do not overlap or step on the flute melody. When you want an even more sultry and ethnic sound, try using the alto or bass flute.

Using Winds To Double Other Instruments

When you want to change the timbre, intensity, focus, thickness or depth of another orchestral instrument or section, the winds are an excellent choice. There are many doubling combinations that work well.

– Flute doubling a violin line can add depth and a vocal quality to the strings in a quieter dynamic. When used in the G4 to G5 octave, it is especially effective. At louder dynamics, the flute is less obvious, lending its tone to brighten the violins. This is typically the case when the violins are playing on the E string in third position or higher.

– Oboe doubling in the same manner will acid more warmth to the strings, while giving them a more defined articulation. Try using the oboe to double the trumpet in loud settings. Both instruments are intense and the combination is excellent for use in a tutti passage.

– Piccolo playing one or two octaves above a violin melody in a p setting will lend a unique timbre to the strings. The result is the overemphasis of the double octave overtone, which gives the passage a very open feel.

– Bassoon doubling a violin line one octave below will add focus and warmth without changing the violins’ timbre. Bassoon can double the violas or cellos to add more focus to their articulation. It will also thicken their tone and add impact. When doubling the horns, bassoons add bite and emphasis to the round tone of the horn.

– The contrabassoon is seldom played by itself. Rather, it often doubles the cellos and/or basses. It can also be used to double the bass trombone or tuba. In either situation, it adds depth and focus to the tone.

Arpeggiations

The flutes, piccolo and clarinets are often called upon to play arpeggiated chords in their highest range. These broken chords can be repeated to produce a rhythmic or swirling effect that can help push the composition along. When writing arpeggios, you need to decide how long and how fast they should be, which will mandate how many notes they should include. I find that tuplets work very well in a 4/4 passage. Next you will need to choose the notes to be played. If the passage is in a louder dynamic, the arpeggios will need to be in the highest ranges of the instruments. Remember that if you are using arpeggios that involve two or more octaves, the lower notes will be in a range that is less likely to cut through the tutti passage. As the instruments start in these lower ranges and play upward to the higher ranges, a natural swell is created, which in most cases is exactly what the composer has in mind when writing these passages. The piccolo, flute and clarinet can produce fast arpeggios but the oboe and bassoon are less agile, making them less effective in these contexts. I sometimes use oboe to playa less nimble line against the flutes and clarinets. The arpeggios can be unisons, octaves or even harmonies, which the excerpt below demonstrates.

French Horn-The Other Wind Instrument

The French horn section has long been considered a part of the wind section as well as part of the brass section. The horn’s ability to meld together differing timbres makes it a useful adjunct when scoring for winds. Try using the horns in passages with section winds playing by themselves. They work well in a simple context, such as whole- or half-note chords.

Contrapuntal Use Of Winds

Because of their differing timbres, the winds can be used quite effectively in contrapuntal or fugal compositions. They can be used successfully to double the strings or by themselves. When using them in a contrapuntal manner, position the flute and clarinet in the upper portion of their ranges as compared to the oboe and bassoon. This will make their more passive tone easily heard. It is sometimes necessary to double the flute with the oboe and the clarinet with the bassoon in order to produce enough attack in highly articulate passages.

Handing Off Lines From Wind To Wind

In a melody or counter-melody situation, the winds can be used quite successfully. One way to add interest is to hand off a line from solo wind to solo wind. This works is especially well when the clarinet is used to enter or exit the line because of its ability to fade up from or down to nothing. I like to use this technique against a string background that is static or contrapuntal. The result adds interest and is very quickly orchestrated.

When we have three of each instrument available, the choices are a bit more straightforward.

Three-Part Harmony

The best way to orchestrate close three-part harmony is to use three instruments of the same kind; e.g. 3 flutes or 3 oboes etc.

In the case of open three-part harmony, using three instrument of the same kind will not be as effective. The only case where open three-part harmony will work with three instruments of the same family is by using the auxiliary bass instrument for the bass line. For example, 2 Oboes for the top two notes and an English Horn for the bass or 2 Clarinets for the top two notes and a Bass Clarinet for the bass note.

Four-Part Harmony

In the case of close four-part harmony, the best approach to use is overlaying of parts with three instruments of the same kind and a fourth instrument of another.

Dovetailing and enclosure can also be used but it is a much more complicated approach because you have to take into account the relative registers of all instruments as well as the smooth progression from one chord to another.

Remember that woodwinds don’t work well harmonically in open voicings.

Harmony In Multiple Parts (5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-part harmony)

If the extra parts are chord tensions (9ths, 11ths and 13ths) then close voicings are always preferred using either of the three methods outlined (overlaying, dovetailing or enclosure).

If the extra parts are mere octave duplications of the existing 4-part harmony, then the best approach is to use the principles regarding the duplication of woodwinds in octaves, 3rds and 6ths.

Woodwinds in Pairs

You can use any of the three methods you wish: overlaying, dovetailing or enclosure.

As a general rule, when you are after a homogenous harmonic BACKGROUND (that stays behind the melody and does not distract the ear from it) the safest approach is to use close-voiced harmony. When using open voicings you can voice your chords according to the harmonic series for a more homogeneous and natural result.

Woodwinds in Threes

The best approach is overlaying when you have close three-part harmony doubled in octaves. Crossing of parts will not be as effective because it will disturb the ‘natural order of register’.

Harmony In Woodwinds And Other Orchestral Sections

In practice, woodwinds are seldom asked to provide the harmony alone. They are usually combined with other orchestral sections in several ways, including:

– The three upper parts of a 4-part harmony are given to woodwinds alone and the bass line is doubled by double basses arco or pizzicato.

– The three upper parts are assigned to strings and the woodwinds carry the middle harmony parts, usually in sustained notes.

In either case, each instrument section should be complete in itself.

Direct Doubling Of Woodwind Lines (Melodic Or Harmonic) In Other Sections

The most important characteristic that a harmony part should exhibit is as Rimsky-Korsakov calls it “resonance equally distributed throughout”. In other words, different harmony parts should blend well together without moving the ear’s focus away from the melody parts. When it comes to woodwind harmony, there are a few tricks we can use to make the overall woodwind sound appear more homogeneous to the ear; i.e make the ear perceive all the woodwind harmony parts as one homogenous timbre instead of many different instruments playing together:

– Be consistent in the roles you give to each woodwind instrument. If you choose, for example, to give flute the soprano voice (the top note of the harmony) for the first chord, continue in that manner for the rest of the chords during the given passage where you have decided to have woodwinds play the harmony. This will ensure that each instrument has a smooth horizontal line and each chord flows as seamlessly as possible into the next.
– The safest and most effective way to build woodwind chords is to use the normal order of register; i.e. Flutes on the soprano voice, Oboes on the Alto, Clarinets on the Tenor and Bassoons on the Bass. This will help ensure that all instruments are sitting roughly on the same relative register. If, for example, we placed the oboe above the flute, the oboe would be in its high and strongest register, possibly overpowering the other harmony parts. The only exception to this is vertical dovetailing which we will discuss at a later point in the article.
– Instruments of the same kind or similar timbre should be voiced in consonant intervals (octaves, 3rds or 6ths) instead of dissonant ones.

This is especially true for oboes which tend to overpower the rest of the woodwinds if not used properly.
A Note on Bassoons: Bassoons are kind of ‘joker’ instruments and can play several different roles in an orchestration:1. Woodwind function: where the bassoon either plays the bass line of the woodwind harmony or plays inner parts of the harmony;
2. Horn function: where it is often used as an extra French horn or as a ‘blender’ between the brass and woodwinds.
It is best if you determine the role you want it to play as soon as possible.

Harmony With Woodwinds In Pairs

There are three basic ways to construct harmony when we have two of each woodwinds available:

– Super-position or Overlaying: essentially following the normal order of register 2Fl – 2Ob – 2Cl – 2Fg
– Crossing or (vertical) Dovetailing: roughly put this means having the two parts of the same instrument ‘separated’ by one part of another instrument. For example, instead of having 2Fl playing the top two notes of the chord and 2Ob playing the bottom, we have Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Flute 2 – Oboe 2.
– Enclosure: when two instrument parts of the same instrument are enclosed or ‘surrounded’ by two parts of another instrument. For example, Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Oboe 2 – Flute 2. Enclosure is also very effective (in fact, more effective) if the two ‘enclosing’ or outer parts are played by different instruments; e.g. Flute 1 – Oboe 1 – Oboe 2 – Clarinet 1.

Methods 2 and 3 help create a more homogeneous sound by blending different timbres as much as possible. Here are a couple of things to remember when in doubt as to which method to use (Rimsky-Korsakov):

– First of all, consider the register of each chord of your passage.
– Then, consider the register of each individual instrument you are going to use and be consistent in the choice of registers; combine the weak register of one instrument with the weak register of the other instruments. Combining one instrument in its weak register and one in its strong will result in a non-homogenous sound where one instrument is heard above the others.
– As with string harmony, knowledge of part-writing will help you enormously in creating effective woodwind harmonies. First make sure that you connect the chords as smoothly as possible. This means that some parts will be relatively stationary (held notes) and others will be more active. Assign one instrument timbre to your stationary parts and another to your moving parts and be consistent with it. The ear is very perceptive to movement and if you keep changing instrument roles your harmony parts might even overpower the melody of your composition.
– Avoid widely-spaced chords because when played by woodwinds they do not sound homogeneous. If you have to use open voicings, place them as high as possible because this makes the different timbres less perceptible and the sound appears to be more homogeneous.
– Avoid close four-part voicings comprising of four different instruments; i.e Flute – Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon. This is most likely to result in the use of a different register for each instrument and make the sound less homogeneous.

In relation to three-part harmonies, here are two things you can do to ensure a nice-sounding three-part harmony:

– Use 2 instruments of the same kind and 1 other instrument in close harmony.
– Use overlaying, i.e. flutes above oboes, oboes above clarinets and clarinets above bassoons

1. Combining 2 of the same instrument

Woodwinds are vastly different from strings. Combining 2 violins in unison will strengthen the melodic line. However, combining two flutes or oboes in unison will present a number of problems; it will not necessarily increase the volume (and carrying power) of the melody and it introduces the possibility of intonation problems. As a general rule, it is best to combine 3 of the same instrument rather than 2. Another way to mitigate ‘out-of-tune’ problems is to combine a pair of the same woodwinds with a string section (e.g. 2 flutes with violins).

2. Combining different instruments in unison

As with strings, it is best to first explore combinations of ‘neighbouring’ instruments in terms of range:

– Flute and Oboe: the oboe adds fullness to the tone of the flute and the flute ‘sweetens’ the nasal quality of the oboe. In soft dynamics, the flute will be more prominent at lower registers and the oboe at higher ones.
– Flute and Clarinet: the clarinet adds fullness and volume to the tone of the flute and the flute ‘tames’ some of the brightness of the clarinet. The sound of the flute will be more prominent in the lower registers and the clarinet in the higher one.
– Oboe and Clarinet: the combination of these two instruments results in a fuller tone than that of each individual instrument. The oboe adds carrying power to the clarinet and the clarinet sweetens the nasal quality of the oboe.
– Flute, Oboe and Clarinet: a full-sounding combination; the oboe and clarinet add fullness and volume to the flute while the flute and clarinet sweeten the oboe.
– Bassoon and Clarinet: another powerful and ‘full-sounding’ combination.
– Basson and Oboe, Bassoon and Flute: rarely used combinations due to the differences in range of the combined instruments. A unison by bassoon and oboe or flute means that either of the two instruments has to be at its weak register and will not result in a particularly changed tone colour than if using them separately.
– Bassoon, Clarinet, Oboe and Flute: an equally rare combination due, again, to range differences that produces a peculiar sound where each instrument’s timbre is clearly distinguished. It sounds more like the combination of bassoon, clarinet, oboe and flute rather than an amalgam of the four instruments.

3. Combining woodwinds in octaves

Again, the most natural-sounding combinations are those of adjacent instruments (Flute-Oboe, Oboe-Clarinet etc.). However, if none of those combinations are suitable for the effect you are after, there are other choices you can explore.

Due to the changing timbre of each woodwind across the different registers, combining two of the same woodwinds in octaves essentially means combing two completely different instruments. Again, this combination is best doubled in a string section.

Another point to keep in mind is that melodies that lend themselves to octave doubling are those situated in either the extreme high or extreme low register. If a melody situated in the middle of the orchestral register is doubled in octaves it is likely to ‘clash’ with accompaniment lines and harmonies.

4. Combining woodwinds in 2, 3 and 4 octaves

Once again, the safest approach is to combine adjacent instruments first before exploring more extreme possibilities. Common combinations are:

– Flute – Oboe – Clarinet in 2 octaves
– Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon in 2 octaves
– Flute – Clarinet – Bassoon in 2 octaves
– Flute – Oboe – Bassoon in 2 octaves
– Flute – Oboe – Clarinet – Bassoon in 3 octaves

Combinations of all four instruments in octaves produces a rather stunning and powerful result and should be saved for special effects instead of being used for a long period of time.

5. Combining Woodwinds in 3rds and 6ths

A melody progressing in 3rds or 6ths is a very commonly used technique and it is effective even when combining two of the same instrument.

As a general rule, it is best to use two of the same instrument when the melody is progressing in 3rds and two different instruments when it is progressing in 6ths.

6. Combining Woodwinds in 3rds and 6ths, moving in Octaves

When we wish to combine octave-doubled parts in 3rds or 6ths, Korsakov suggests the following approach:

– 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths
– 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by Oboe + Clarinet in 3rds/6ths
– 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths
– Oboe + Flute in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by Flute + Clarinet in 3rds/6ths

If we have 3 players of each instrument available, we can employ the following combinations:

– 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths
– 2 Oboes in 3rds/6ths doubled 8vb by 2 Flutes in 3rds/6ths AND 2 Clarinets in 3rds/6ths

7. Combining Woodwinds in stacked 3rds and 6ths

Aside from using either 3rds or 6ths, we can combine those two and have a melody progressing in 3 parts:

– Clarinet + Oboe a 3rd above + Flute a 6th above the clarinet
– Bassoon + Clarinet a 3rd above + Oboe a 6th above the bassoon

If we want to double each part into 2 different instruments then we can use:
[Oboe + Clarinet in unison] + [Flute + Clarinet in unison] a 3rd/6th above + [Oboe + Flute in unison] a further 3rd/6th above

1. Solo woodwinds: one of each ; 1 Flute – 1 Clarinet – 1 Oboe – 1 Bassoon
2. Woodwinds in Pairs: two of each ; 2 Flutes – 2 Clarinets – 2 Oboes – 2 Bassoons
3. Woodwinds in Threes: three of each ; 3 Flutes – 3 Clarinets – 3 Oboes – 3 Bassoons

However, many woodwind players are proficient in more than one instrument of the same family (e.g. flutes, clarinets, bassoons etc) and can be asked to double on another instrument if the orchestration calls for it. For example, a flutist can be asked to double on the piccolo at some point during the orchestration (provided that a flute is not required at the same time). When there are more than one of each instrument available, things are a lot easier of course because we can ask the principal player of each instrument to double on another. Sounds confusing, right? Let’s make it a bit more clear then:

Melody By Solo Woodwinds

When writing solo lines for woodwinds that you want to be clearly heard, there are two basic points to keep in mind:

– Write in the instrument’s best range (see table below)

– Make sure that the accompaniment (orchestral or not) does not fall on the same register and allows the woodwind to come through.

The following table, along with the knowledge of each instrument’s registers and characteristics (presented in my first article about woodwinds), will help you start writing solo woodwind melodies.

We will now look at some characteristic uses of each individual woodwind in carrying the melody.

1. Solo Flute

The flute has the ‘lightest’ quality of all woodwinds and is the trickiest when carrying the melody because the accompaniment must be carefully crafted not to overpower it when it is playing at its weakest register (the low one).

A great example of a solo flute melody is Dvorak’s Symphony No9 (“From the New World”), first movement, bars 149-156. You find it at 06:50. The flute carries the wonderful theme alone,in its low to middle register, with a minimal accompaniment from strings only so as to be clearly heard.

2. Solo Piccolo Flute

The piccolo is the smallest instrument of the entire orchestra yet, when playing at its stronger (high) register it can be heard above the entire orchestra While it does not lend itself for solo melodies easily, it is great for doubling the flute octave above or playing fast staccato passages. It is often used for light passages of comedic nature or for doubling brass and strings in marching band music.

A good example of a solo piccolo flute is Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije, first movement, where the piccolo plays solo with a military drum accompaniment. You can find it at 0:35.

3. Solo Alto Flute

Similar in construction to the flute, the alto flute has a longer tube which gives it a mellower and darker tone. Its main purpose is to extend the lower range of the flute. If you have a melody that ‘lives’ in the flute’s lower range, it is best to use the alto flute instead. The alto flute is used extensively in Gustav Holst’s Saturn. It starts with the alto flute. A solo alto flute melody is found at bars 53-62.

4. Solo Oboe

The oboe is the soprano of the double-reed instruments. Its tone is nasal as is consistent with double reeds. It has enormous carrying power and can easily be heard over an orchestra when playing at its strong registers (middle and more so, high). A great example of a solo oboe melody is the opening to the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony.

5. Solo English Horn

The role of the English Horn in a double-reed section is similar to that of the viola in a string section. It can be used to play countermelodies very effectively but it is also a wonderful solo instrument capable of great expressive quality. A good example of a solo English horn melody is the Overture from Berlioz’s Roman Carnival. You can find the solo English horn section at 0:26. Listen to the mellow and deep sound of the instrument which is clearly darker but equally expressive to the oboe.

6. Solo Clarinet

A greatly agile instrument capable of anything and everything (within limits of course). As a single-reed, it has a much mellower and rounder tone than any of the double reeds. You can listen to it playing a solo melody at the opening of the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.

Aside from classical repertoire, the clarinet is extremely popular in ‘jazz-ier’ settings as well. The most famous example is the opening to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, showing the clarinet’s enormous capabilities in performing a glissando.

7. Solo Bass Clarinet

The bass clarinet is an often neglected yet very useful instrument. While it is practically used to extend the lower register of the clarinet, it is one of the most agile bass instruments of the orchestra; it can provide a full and lush bass line in its lower register but can also play a melodic role in its higher register provided that it is not overpowered by other instruments (because it loses its carrying power and tonal color as it moves higher, towards its weakest areas). You can get a pretty good idea of the bass clarinet’s melodic capabilities here.

8. Solo Bassoon

Bassoon is often wrongly associated only with comedic musical passages and cartoon music. However, it is one of the most expressive instruments of the woodwind section and aside from providing a bass line it can also carry the melody perfectly well. Listen to the bassoon opening the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique Symphony.

9. Solo Contra Bassoon

The contra bassoon is the deepest and ‘bassiest’ instrument of the woodwind family. Due to its size (and the amount of air needed by the performer), it is also one of the less flexible and agile. While it has been used as a solo instrument by composers such as Beethoven, Brahms and Strauss, it is most often used to strengthen a bass line and provide a solid foundation in a melodic or harmonic role.

10. Horizontal Dovetailing

There is no rule that forces us to use the same instrument to carry the entire melody. We can start by having the melody in flute, then passed to the oboe, then to the clarinet and then back to the oboe.

In the case of a demanding melody that requires a lot of air and contains difficult passages, we can alternate between the principal and second player of each instrument. For example, we can start with flute 1 playing the first 4 bars of the melody and have flute 2 carry on the next 4 bars, thus giving time to the principal flutist to catch his/her breath.

The piccolo is a soprano version of the flute, extending the flute’s range up an octave. Not nearly as warm as the flute, it has a somewhat piercing quality, especially in the top half of its range. It’s not very capable in its lowest octave, however, due to its very soft (yet somewhat haunting) tone. The piccolo is quite easy to play, especially for scale-wise passages. It produces a whistling-type sound when multiples are played in unison. It also blends well with trumpets.

Flute

The various flutes (and the piccolo) are the only non-reed instruments in the woodwind family. It’s a very agile instrument, also capable of great sensitivity. It mixes well with other woodwinds, and it’s also good for ensemble work across sections. Flute parts are common in all types of ensembles, from orchestras and concert bands to marching bands and jazz bands. The flute produces a beautiful warm tone in the lower octaves. The upper range, on the other hand, is extremely brilliant in tone. Due to its soft volume, solo lines are best accompanied by sparse instrumentation.

The flute and piccolo work very well when doubling violin lines in a tutli passage

Alto Flute

The alto flute is a slightly longer version of a normal flute. The longer instrument enables a slightly lower range, with a slightly breathier tonal quality. It’s a slightly more common instrument than the similar bass flute. The bass flute, although an uncommon instrument in the modern band or orchestra, has a very pleasing and somewhat “cool” sound, ideally suited for sustained passages. It’s a very quiet and windy instrument, and takes a lot of breath to play; as such, you shouldn’t write short notes or staccato passages for this instrument. Also, because of the air requirements, avoid long, sustained passages, unless you want to see the bass flautist keel over from lack of oxygen.

Oboe

The oboe is our first double-reed instrument, very warm-sounding and lyrical with a unique nasal sound. It sounds particularly distinctive (and melodic) in its top octave, while it tends to “honk” in the low part of its range. Avoid notes below the D. The oboe blends well with flutes and clarinets, especially when doubling the flute line at the octave. Its penetrating quality keeps it from blending well with other woodwinds when employed in inner voicings. As such, it’s better used when playing or doubling lead lines. The tonal quality of the oboe contrasts well with that of its cousin the flute. Where the flute gets more brilliant as it goes up in register, the oboe loses its edge as it goes up. Conversely, the flute is weakest in its lowest octave, while the oboe’s sound gets thicker and richer the lower it goes.

English Horn

The English horn is not a French horn made in England; it’s a double-reed instrument, similar to an oboe. It’s less agile than the oboe, however, due to its larger size. Think of the English horn as the alto voice of the double-reed family. This instrument produces a very deep and distinctive sound that gets thinner as it gets higher. It sounds most melodic in its top two octaves, although the lowest part of the range is particularly rich and expressive. (You should avoid notes below the G, however.) It’s commonly used as a solo instrument, where it has an expressive, almost brooding quality.

Eb Clarinet

The Eb clarinet is a kind of “piccolo” clarinet. This smaller instrument is more difficult to play than the Bb clarinet; players require frequent rest periods. This instrument works best in the upper register; its lower range is quite thin. It’s often used as a solo instrument due to its penetrating tone in its high range.

Bb Clarinet

The Bb clarinet is the workhorse of the woodwind family. It’s a very flexible instrument with wide pitch and dynamic ranges. The clarinet has a somewhat woody quality to its sound. This lets it blend well with other woodwinds, as well as with both open and muted brass. In addition, the instrument has a dry and sharp staccato—less edgy than the oboe, but more articulate than the flute. The color of the clarinet varies quite a bit across its range. The instrument is easier to play in lower ranges than comparable saxophones, and it has lots of sustaining power. These characteristics make it ideally suited for both solo and ensemble passages—where it adds body to the voicings.

The dynamic range of the clarinet is extremely large. The instrument is capable of producing extremely quiet dynamics called subtones, which equate to a ppp dynamic. These are accomplished by slightly reducing the reed’s vibrations with the tongue. The notation for these subtones is either the ppp dynamic, the word “subtone” or “echo tone” or the instruction sotto voce (quiet voice). These tones can be almost inaudible and can come out of nowhere when played correctly.

A Clarinet

The A clarinet is becoming more popular in the modern orchestra. It has a similar tone and range to the traditional Bb clarinet, although a tad thicker and less brilliant. Which clarinet is used often has more to do with the key signature than with anything else. The Bb clarinet is more often used for flat keys, whereas the A clarinet works better for sharp keys. That said, the A clarinet is definitely a subsidiary instrument to its Bb sibling.

Bass Clarinet

The bass clarinet is the lowest voice of the clarinet family. It sounds an octave lower than the normal Bb clarinet. It’s often written with open or muted trombones. The lowest register on this instrument is the most distinctive, with the warmest tone. Above middle C, the sound thins out, and it can sound “pinched” in higher registers. In older literature, the bass clarinet was most often written in the bass clef. More modern music tends to notate the instrument in the treble clef (with pitches sounding a major ninth below what is written).

Bassoon

The bassoon is the bass voice of the woodwind section. It produces a somewhat comical sound, especially in its lower registers. That said, the bassoon blends surprisingly well with other woodwinds. It’s expressively melodic in its middle and medium-high range, and also versatile in staccato passages.

Contrabassoon

The lowest of the woodwinds, the contrabassoon plays an octave below the bassoon. Its size makes it less articulate than its smaller brother, however. Very low, sustained tones have a “buzz” because of their slow vibrations.

In tutti situations, the bassoon often doubles the cello line and the contrabassoon often doubles the bass line.

With the exception of flutes, piccolos, and oboes, woodwinds are transposing instruments. The following table describes the ranges and transpositions of these woodwind instruments.

Timbre, Dynamics And Flexibility

Woodwinds are not like strings; their timbre and color changes as they move from the lower to the higher end of their range. In fact, many scholars and orchestration books suggest that one should look at each woodwind as three different instruments: low, middle and high. This is because a flute, for example, sounds completely different when playing at its low register than playing at its middle or high register. What you should keep in mind is that:

• the middle register of each instrument is the easiest for a player to control (both in terms of pitch and dynamics);
• the high register lends itself for loud dynamics and more ‘intense’ passages, and;
• the low register is more suitable for soft dynamics and more subtle passages.

In other words, woodwind players can do pretty much everything on the middle register but have difficulties executing loud passages in low registers and soft passages in high registers.

Sound Creation And Breathing

Woodwind instruments produce sound as air is blown into their tubes through their mouthpieces. Different pitches are possible through the alteration of the tube length with the opening and closing of the different holes.
When writing for woodwinds keep in mind that players need time to breath. If you cannot sing a phrase in one breath, chances are a player won’t be able to play it in one breath either…
Another point I would like to bring to your attention is the relation between instrument size and the air required for it to produce sound; the larger the instrument the more air the player needs in order to produce sound. While a passage may be easy on the clarinet, a bass clarinetist might need much more time to breath in order to execute the same passage. When writing for woodwinds, try to put yourself into the player’s role and provide ample time for breathing and preparation.

Finally, the louder the dynamic, the more air is required and the quicker the air is consumed. Therefore, be extra careful when asking your players to play forte passages.

All things being equal, wind players can play longer lines than brass players can. The exception is the flute, which requires more breath to play than any other brass or woodwind instrument, insert breaks into areas that make sense from a phrase standpoint. Generally it is best to enter the entire main line before inputting the breath breaks. Determine the general area of the break by singing the line at a dynamic one level lower than your MIDI instrument for all instruments except for flute; for it, sing one level louder. When you run out of breath, find a place in that general area to insert a break.

Common Techniques

Woodwinds are probably the most agile and flexible instruments of the orchestra. They are capable of extremely fast runs, trills and rips, expressive legato passages and very pronounced and aggressive staccato chords. Bear in mind that it is always best to restrict any special techniques to the middle register of the instruments because special effects are much harder to execute and control in the extreme registers.

There are two articulations used by wind players slurred and non-slurred articulations. When a group of notes are played in one breath with no separation between the notes, these notes are said to be slurred together. In written music, these notes would be grouped together with a slur marking. When playing non-slurred notes, the player separates each note using a technique known as tonguing. When playing a tongued note, the player touches the roof of the mouth with his or her tongue and immediately pulls it back. This is the same series of event that occurs if you say the syllable “tuh” or “duh”. In written music, notes that are not slurred are tongued, tonguing is used in the following circumstances: to begin a note after a rest, to begin the first note in a slurred group of notes and to begin a note that is not slurred.

This technique does not influence or alter the length of the note in any way (unless indicating staccato). For faster non-legato passages, double- and triple-tonguing is used. Instead of using the “tuh” or “duh” syllables, the player uses the “te” and “ke” syllables while producing a column of air.